Sodium fluoride and stannous fluoride are known as useful fluoride sources for dentifrices. Stannous fluoride possesses an advantage over some other ionic fluorides, including sodium fluoride, in that it is antimicrobial—it kills bacteria in the mouth by interfering with the bacterial metabolic processes. However there are challenges with retained deposition of stannous.
There is a need for improved antibacterial toothpaste formulations that do not suffer from the drawbacks of conventional compositions, and that provide additional antimicrobial benefits.